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Chapter 10: A Long-term Commitment to Reliability
concern."
3
The Grand Jury’s follow-up report in
2013 revisited some of the same themes,
praising the Water Authority’s work and encour-
aging the agency to continue expanding local
water storage capacity. It was a reminder that
needs change over ti
me and the job of
enhancing water reliability is never done.
LOOKING AHEAD
San Diego County residents have al
ways been
creative and determined in their quest to find
enough water to keep the county vibrant and
prosperous. For more than a century, solu-
tions once thought extreme have turned into
reality to meet the region’s water needs. From
building wooden flumes through rugged
canyons to creating hundreds of
miles of
mod-
ern aqueducts that transport water from remote
sources, water users have benefitted from
stunning projects that have re-engineered
water in San Diego County and throughout
the West.
Foresight and long-term planning will help the
Water Authority carry out its mission of ensuring
a reliable water supply to sustain the county's
more than 3 million residents and its $188 bil-
lion economy. Water officials are making histo-
ry with unprecedented agreements to transfer
water around Southern California and maintain
the economic health of an entire state.
Water
industry professionals also are pioneering local
resource development with seawater desalina-
tion to augment conservation, groundwater
recovery and water recycling.
Throughout the San Diego region’s history,
every resident has depended on water to pros-
per. Providing that water has not al
ways been
easy, and new challenges surely will continue
to emerge, requiring new thinking and new
solutions. But one thing is certain: with a clear
vision and strong community support, the
region’s water agencies are united and effective
in their purpose: to quench a thirst.